‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Dec 14th 2022)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite: Winter Is Coming, which was broadcast live from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo, & Rey Fenix) def. The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks — Matt & Nick Jackson)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Don Callis joined the broadcast booth for this match. Nick Jackson and Penta El Zero Miedo traded offensive, each countering the other. Rey Fenix tagged in and the Young Bucks used tandem offense. PAC and Kenny Omega tagged in for their respective teams and Kenny Omega smashed PAC face-first into the mat. Matt and Kenny hit double planchas to the outside while Nick followed up, jumping off the top turnbuckle onto PAC. Nick tweaked his ankle and tagged out. Brandon Cutler used some cold spray on Nick’s ankle. Doc Sampson gave medical attention to Nick outside the ring. Penta blasted Omega with a tope through the ropes. PAC nailed Matt with a standing moonsault press for a near fall. Nick Jackson was taken to the back to be examined by Doc Sampson. Matt Jackson rallied with two Northern Lights suplexes on Rey Fenix and then served one up to Penta El Zero Miedo. Kenny Omega clobbered PAC with a Polish Hammer strike. Omega followed up with a moonsault off the second rope for a near fall on PAC. Omega sent PAC crashing to the mat with a snapdragon suplex. Omega attempted his Terminator dive but PAC yanked Kenny’s legs out from under him. Omega came back with the diving back elbow. Kenny planted PAC with a brainbuster. Penta El Zero Miedo smashed Matt with the Fear Factor on the apron. Omega was left to fight for himself against the Lucha Bros. Rey Fenix landed on Omega with an inverted frog splash. PAC tried for the Black Arrow but Omega rolled out of the way! Nick Jackson hobbled back out to the ring! Nick caught Rey Fenix with a cutter, utilizing more ground-based offense due to his tweaked ankle. Nick tried to superkick Rey Fenix but Fenix blocked it and held Nick’s leg. While the ref was distracted, Penta El Zero Miedo smashed the timekeeper’s hammer onto Nick’s ankle and then Death Triangle were victorious!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry def. Brian Cage
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Jack stunned Brian Cage with a kick and then a diving hurracanrana. Jack Perry charged at Brian Cage but Cage hoisted up Jack and rammed him into the turnbuckles. Brian Cage suplexed Jungle Boy from outside the ring, over the top rope and then into the ring! Brian Cage used Jungle Boy to do biceps curls and then tossed Jungle Boy overhead. Jungle Boy staggered Cage with a come-backer lariat. Jack Perry planted Cage with a DDT! Cage sent Jungle Boy for a ride with a full nelson driver. Jungle Boy rocked Brian Cage with a Canadian Destroyer. Jack Perry made Brian Cage tap out with the snare trap but ref Aubrey Edwards didn’t see it. Brian Cage inadvertently hit Prince Nana and then Jungle Boy used Cage’s momentum to roll him up and pin him!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: The House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King & Buddy Matthews w/ Julia Hart) def. The Factory (QT Marshall, Aaron Solo and Cole Karter)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Julia spit the black mist into the eyes of Comoroto! The Factory was destroyed and then the House of Black surrounded QT! Malakai nearly decapitated QT Marshall with a roundhouse kick and then pinned him!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #4: Action Andretti def. Chris Jericho
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Jericho slapped Andretti at the start of the match. Jericho gouged his opponent’s eyes. Jericho bullied Andretti with chops to the chest. Jericho was caught off guard with a tornillo from Andretti. Jericho nailed Andretti with a death valley driver and then a Code Breaker. Jericho went for the cover but Andretti kicked out at two! Andretti landed some chops but then Jericho poked him in the eyes. He rocked Andretti with an elbow for good measure. Andretti used a back breaker into a neck breaker! Andretti attempted a split legged moonsault but Jericho countered by raising his knees into Andretti’s ribs. Andretti ducked the Judas Effect and then sent Jericho to the outside with a lariat! Andretti pinned Jericho after a running shooting star press!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: Ruby Soho def. Tay Melo
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Tay blasted Ruby with a boot as Ruby was making her entrance. Outside the ring Ruby Soho whipped Tay into the barricade. Tay returned the favor, sending Ruby into the barricade and then the steel ring steps. Ruby sent Tay flying with three back suplexes! Outside the ring, Tay rocked Ruby with a DDT on the ramp. Back in the ring, Ruby rammed Tay’s face into the turnbuckles. Ruby ascended to the top rope and jumped but Tay rolled out of the way. Tay connected with a pump kick to Ruby’s nose for a near fall. Tay landed a Gotch-style piledriver on Ruby for a two-count! Ruby had the Tay-KO scouted and then pinned Tay after hitting the Destination Unknown! Anna Jay stormed to the ring and blindsided Ruby Soho! Anna planted Ruby face first on the mat!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #6: AEW World Championship/Dynamite Diamond Ring Match: Winner Takes All – MJF def. Ricky Starks
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
MJF strutted after avoiding a trip from Ricky. “Absolute” Ricky Starks fired back with a shoulder tackle. Ricky tossed MJF with a back body drop! He followed up with a sunset flip for a near fall on MJF. Starks rolled up MJF with an inside cradle for a two-count. MJF poked Ricky in the eyes. Max whipped Ricky into the turnbuckles. MJF dropped Starks across the top rope, seemingly knocking the wind out of Ricky Starks. Starks gave everything he had with a desperation lariat to MJF! Starks planted MJF with the Liger Bomb for a near fall! Starks charged at MJF but MJF dodged him. Starks crashed headfirst into the turnbuckles. MJF began working over Starks’ arm. MJF powerbombed Starks on his knee for a two-count! MJF stomped on Starks’ arm. The two men began slugging it out in the center of the ring until MJF thumbed Starks in the eye. Starks speared MJF but immediately clutched his arm. Starks draped his arm over MJF for a near fall but MJF rolled out and transitioned into the Salt of the Earth arm bar! Starks forced the ref break by reaching the bottom rope with his long legs. MJF tried for another arm bar but Starks rolled him up for a two-count. Starks was looking for the Roshambo but MJF countered with a low blow to Starks while the ref was distracted. MJF pinned Starks!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
An all-around great episode of Dynamite this week. Opened strong with another in the Best of Seven series between The Elite and Death Triangle; then a decent match between Jungle Boy and Brian Cage which led to the appearance of Hook to JB’s aide post-match, teasing a possible team-up (which I’d love to see). Then the House of Black got a slice of the action, demolishing The Factory in a squash match; which was followed by a brilliant and surprising match between Jericho and Action Andretti, with an outcome NO ONE would have predicted! The weak match on this card was the women’s match between Ruby Soho and Tay Melo – mainly thanks to the latter who waaaaay oversold her hatred for the crowd; at least it looks like this has ended their feud (fingers crossed). Then the show closed with a superb main event between MJF and Ricky Starks – the match may have not ended the way ANYONE liked but the journey to that MJF win was fantastic to watch. I know this was a special “Winter is Coming” episode but if AEW can keep this standard up every week then goddamn, I’d be a pig in proverbial sh*t!
